Significance or Serendipity?

On the train, Joe shows Flo a series of coincidences…

Joe: We departed Yoyogi  - that’s 6 letters, at 2:04. 2+0+4=6. Coincidence!

Flo: So?

Joe: It gets more amazing. Listen. We will arrive at Takadanobaba - 12 letters at 2:10. 2+10=12. A second coincidence!

Flo: So?

Joe: This is the way a numerologist navigates. Looks for coincidences. Could I plan on a future consulting job in this field do you think, or should I forget it?

Flo: I say forget it. Stick to knitting.

Voice-over

Stayed 2 years, 2 months, 2 days

Nevertheless, playing with numbers is not just the pastime of people wanting to get rich at winning a lottery or start a new career as a numerologist. Henry David Thoreau built a cabin in the woods near Concord and stayed there for 2 years, 2 months and 2 days. Planned, or was it merely happenstance?

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Square Root Day Dinner

Laura comes home to find an odd dinner prepared by George on his cooking night.

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Laura: What’re these funny cubes on my plate?

George: You know what day it is?

Laura: It’s the 3^rd of March.

George: And the year?

Laura: 2009. So?

George: Don’t you see? 3.3.9. It’s square root day. 3 times 3 equals nine.

Laura: But there are three groups of nine, makes 27.

George: Don’t you see Laura? They’re CUBES. 3 cubed is 3 x 3 x 3 = 27. 27 cubes. 9 cubes of feta, 9 cubes of carrot and 9 cubes of cheddar. My JOKE!

Laura: George, don’t you think you may have just a little too much time on your hands? Maybe you should have another go at politics.

__________

Voice-over

Numerology: ascribing special power to numbers. Astrology gave rise to astronomy. Pseudomaths preceded mathematics. 

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Pessimistic opening

Marcel calls on his invalid sister, Hannah.

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Marcel: How's things?

Hannah: Couldn’t be worse. Rotten weather. Everyone coughing. And a storm forecast for tomorrow.

Marcel: Grizzleguts. Any good news?

Hannah: None. I'm not even going to get up today.

Marcel: Here's some good news. 888.

Hannah: Meaning?

Marcel: Today is year 08, Month 08, Day 08. Some think 8 is lucky. Especially Chinese. Makes today triple lucky. Get up. Believe something good will happen.

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Voiceover

"You want to hear the bad news or the good news first?" Pessimistic people often don't even give you that option. The doom chorus conversational opening sets the tone. Marcel rows hard to pull the conversation into an optimistic current.

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